Her Champion
by descentofthedoppelganger
Summary: Post-Chosen/During NFA. Buffy gets a little help from Angel after the battle against the first and leaves for Scotland only to return almost a year later to help fight the battle against wolfram and hart. But what happens when she finds out Spikes alive?
1. Gone

Here it is, my oneshot turned story maybe? I wrote this as a oneshot, which is still up but I wanted to make it more then that. I just wanted to write a believable/good story about how Buffy and Spike reunite. Tell me what you think. I'd love some feedback. Thanks for reading. By the way I added an extra scene for those of you have read the old version, its a little updated. Well hope you like it.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the Vampire slayer or Angel or any of the characters in the shows. Although I'd love to have spike all to myself. It all belongs to Joss Whedon. **

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Her Champion

Chapter One: Gone

The bus came to a screeching halt barely ten yards from the gaping hole that had once been Sunnydale. Buffy hurdled over the bus's edge and landed swiftly on her feet. Dawn emerged from the emergency exit pulling her sister into a tight hug. Giles, followed by the able slayers, filed out after her.

"What did this?" Giles asked astounded.

"Spike." she replied simply, smiling despite herself. She was proud of him. He had sacrificed himself for her, for dawn, for everyone. He was her champion. Human or not, Soul or no soul, he was the best man she'd ever known. Tears filled her eyes and a strange thickness crept into her throat preventing her from saying more. Her toes touched the edge as her friends tended to the wounded and exchanged their eye witness accounts of their loved ones demise. She quickly shoved his name out of her thoughts, desperate to avoid his face.

"Yeah. What are we going to do now, Buffy?" Dawn asked suddenly. She wasn't sure what would come next. She had always been used to the everyday demon routine. But now that was over. What happens now? She thought. She watched her sisters face, as the agony beneath her mask became evident. Spike. He was gone.

Dawn took a deep breath to calm herself. Spike had gone out of his way to protect her, to protect Buffy. He loved her and it was clear she loved him. But now he was gone. He would never be there when she wanted someone to talk to. Never there when Buffy would need him. He had been like the brother she never had and she couldn't stop the crystal tear that made tread marks down her cheek.

_What were they going to do now? What was she going to do? _Buffy questioned herself.

She wasn't sure about herself, but she knew she still had a job to do. A responsibility. She had to take care of the remaining survivors and get everyone to safety. There was only one person she trusted enough to help. So she choked back the tears and turned to her friends.

"We're going to L.A."

"I suppose that is a good idea. You're thinking Angel will help." Giles mused.

"Yeah. I am. He said he'd have a second front ready so hopefully he'll be able to help."

"You're right. He owes me one anyway." Faith replied smiling. "But we need someone to get us there. Because Robin isn't really up to it." Faith told them, with muted concern in her eyes.

"No problem. Giles?" Buffy hinted.

"Of course." he nodded before him along with everyone else filed back onto the bus. Buffy took one last look before she turned her back on the disaster site she once called home.

The ride wasn't long, but the entire time Buffy, Xander and Willow stretched across the back seats and consoled one another, while the others shared the front.

After arriving in L.A. Buffy asked around for Angel. Who she found to be working at an evil law firm, which had her a bit surprised.

"I knew it! I told you he was no good!" Xander had told her.

But she just couldn't believe it.

Buffy got everyone settled in, in the lobby and she made her way to the receptionist, who happened to be a familiar face.

"Harmony?" Buffy asked in shock.

"Oh Buffy!" she replied panic-stricken. "Please don't kill me! I'm working for Angel now. Haven't fed on a human in months. I swear."

Harmony stuck her hands up in surrender as she stared into the eyes of the slayer.

"I'm not going to kill you, I'm actually looking for Angel. Did you say you work for him now?" she asked.

"Oh thank god. Um yes I do. Okay let me get him." she said quickly before dialing what Buffy assumed was his office.

Buffy perched on Harmony's desk as she waited for angel. She was stunned. She couldn't believe Angel was working for the other side. According to the local people, this place was the big bad of Los Angeles. How come she'd never heard of it? She wanted to know when this happened and why he failed to mention this when he came to sunnydale.

A few moments later Angel appeared with an expression of relief.

"Buffy!" he said smiling before pulling her into a hug. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"Yeah, Um me too. Just curious but since when did you start working for the bad guys?" she asked pulling away from his embrace. A look of suspicion on her face.

"I'll explain everything later but first we better get you're injured attended to." he said gesturing toward the string of girls moaning in pain in the lobby.

Angel pulled out his cell phone and insisted people get on it immediately and within seconds the wounded were being cared for.

Wesley and a small girl named Fred came by and said hello.

"Hi, its nice to finally meet you, Buffy." Fred said smiling.

"Ditto." she replied.

"Nice to see you Buffy. Always a pleasure." Wesley added.

"You too, Wesley." she replied. "Hm, you've been working out!" she said laughing.

"I have indeed. I am truly sorry about Spike." he said gently.

"Thank you." she replied before he nodded and walked off to help out.

Buffy watched Wes and Fred exchange glances from across the room, every now and then, and she knew that they had something. She couldnt help but smile, she was glad Wesley had found someone for himself. He really deserved it.

"Let's talk in my office." he said quickly before pulling her away from the group.

"Nice place." she said with sarcasm leaking into her voice.

"Yeah. Comes with the Job." He paused and preceded cautiously. "So? Any casualties?"

Buffy's expression changed from light amusement to sorrow.

"We lost some of the slayers, Anya…Spike." she replied turning away from him in an attempt to hide her pain. Even with Angel with her it was hard to keep her emotions under wraps.

"I'm sorry. I know you said he was in your heart-"

"It was more then that." she said dryly. "Much more."

"You-You loved him?" he asked in disbelief.

"I do love him." she replied wiping at the tear that slipped down her face.

"When I came you said he wasn't- Why?" Angel asked, before he could stop himself. He knew he shouldn't have asked but he was desperate to understand. He wanted to know how Spike had worked his way into her heart.

"He was a good man."

Her explanation was simple, but it said so much. Angel couldn't help but be stung by her words. Jealousy washed through him. How could Buffy see Spike as a man? He killed hundreds. Two slayers, no less. Of course he had killed people too but he was making amends for it. And yeah, maybe Spike saved the world once. But he did loads of times. He was the one who started the whole soul thing in the first place. And what, Spikes better then him because he went looking for it? He loves Buffy just as much as Spike did.

Angel was brooding for a while before something Buffy had said drew his attention.

"You said you lost slayers? There are only two, you and Faith. I don't understand."

"Willow performed a spell using that mystical scythe of mine. Now every potential slayer is a slayer. All of them." she told him in awe. She was still amazed that Willow pulled it off.

"Wow." he said. "Impressive."

"Yeah."

"Willow better get out of here as soon as she can." he told her warningly.

Buffy got defensive. "Why?"

"It's just, the senior partners are always looking for powerful witches to use for their own personal needs, and I prefer she wasn't recruited. They're already strong as it is."

"Oh, right." she said feeling silly, before she remembered something. "Which brings us back to you." she told him pointedly.

"Yes." he replied before poking his head out of the door and shutting it behind her. "I'm taking them down form the inside." he said smiling, while gesturing to the walls around him.

"Is that right?" she asked, her suspicion wavering. It seemed like a great idea.

"I figure what better way to take them down then to get inside their head?" he replied surprised by her lack of enthusiasm. He quirked an eyebrow curious as to her attitude. "What is it?"

"Its- I'll admit this is a brilliant plan but do you really think its going to work?"

"Of course." he replied a little flustered. "I thought you would agree with me."

"I do, but, Angel I've dealt with evil before. What if- Are you sure you can handle this?"

"Yes." he insisted. "Trust me?"

"Fine. I'll trust you." she replied quickly, taking his word. Though she made sure she noted to keep an eye on things just in case.

He smiled at her and she returned the smile with one of her own. There was a stretch of silence before either of them broke it.

"Lets go check on the others." he told her opening the door and leading the way back to her friends.

"Hey guys."

"Hey Buffster." Xander replied.

"How you holding up?" Willow asked her brow wrinkled in concern. She noticed her best friend hadn't talked much on the way to L.A. and she could see the pain she was wrestling with. Anyone with eyes could see it.

"I'm doing-" she stopped and sighed, unsure of how to finish. Xander noticed her distress and pulled her into a hug, which Willow joined in on.

"How about you, Xan?" Buffy asked pulling away to measure his expression.

"Pretty much the same." he said looking away.

"I'm sorry about Anya." Angel told him nodding his head.

"Thanks." Was his reply before he stifled back a sob.

Xander had been so sure that after the battle him and Anya would make up and start fresh. He hadn't even imagined life without her, it never even struck him as possible.

Giles got up from the couch he was positioned on and put a hand on Xander's back to soothe him. He sympathized with Xander because he too knew what it felt like to lose a loved one to the hands of evil. And those hands were not even three feet away.

"So, do any of you have an idea what your next move is?" Angel asked quietly.

Giles stared up at Angel with a look one can only define as suspicion, for lack of a better word. Giles couldn't seem to shake the feeling of mistrust. After all, he was working for the enemy it was pivotal that they didn't release any important information that could hurt them in the distant future.

"I think Robin and I are going to go to the hell mouth in Cleveland. I think B deserves a break, and the hell mouth needs an experienced slayer, so I think I'll deal with that." Faith told them, before exchanging a smile with Buffy.

"How about you Buffy?" Willow asked. "Got any idea where we go from here?"

"Well I think I'm going somewhere to find a place where we can train the slayers." She told them nodding. She hadn't really had time to think about it but after hearing the idea, she knew that was exactly what she wanted to do. Find somewhere and settle down while helping the other slayers understand their powers.

"Well then maybe Andrew and I can go out and find the other slayers. I might be able to use a spell to locate them." Willow replied, excitement bubbling in her voice. Xander couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm, it was like she was back in high school all over again.

"And I'll stick with Buffy and help with the training. I mean, who's going to warn the girls to stay away from crazy, eye poking, women hating priests?" Xander chuckled. Buffy just shook her head and smiled. Leave it to Xander to make jokes about the man who almost cost him his sight.

"And I'll stay with you also, Buffy. I'll do whatever I can to help." Giles added. "I heard there is a large estate in Scotland in which a watcher left for any watcher willing to take it. I think it will be a superb place to train the girls."

"Sounds like a plan." she smiled. Looking at the faces of her friends made her feel like there was still hope. Like maybe she would get through this, eventually. They were on their way to the next chapter of their lives. And she was going to do her best to live her life right.

After Angel made arrangements at the Hyperion Hotel, within a day or two the girls were almost fully healed and everyone was ready to head out. Giles had arranged the estate and everyone was ready to fulfill the mission they set for themselves.

It was the night before Buffy would leave and she was explaining to the girls, what would happen next in one of her famous speeches. (Which Andrew was recording)

"Congratulations. You made it through your first apocalypse." she started speaking to all the slayers. Many of them started to murmur excitedly but Buffy put a hand up to silence them. "But that was nothing. I promise you there will be more. THere's always more. So this is where you decide to take the next step. To come with us and learn more. To become part of something bigger. To save the world…again and again and again. Most of you will come with me and there will be a few of you that go with Faith. She's going to be stationed at the hell mouth in Cleveland and some extra muscle would be nice. So we'll need about three or four. Anyone interested?"

A few girls volunteered and after everything was settled the rest of the girls clustered into groups awaiting Buffy's instructions.

"Now get some rest and be ready to leave in the morning." she told them before the girls got up and started filing into their rooms.

"Buffy?"

Buffy turned around to find the girls still waiting at the end of the stairs.

"Yeah? What is it?" she replied.

Angel stood against the back wall, watching the exchange.

"It's just- I wanted to apologize. We all wanted to apologize." Kennedy said sheepishly.

Willow, Xander, Giles, Faith, Robin and all the girls exchanged guilty looks before buffy responded.

"What for?" Buffy asked puzzled, studying each of their faces, curious as to the reason behind their apology. Had they done something she didn't known about?

"For the night we voted you out. We were just so afraid and we didn't know how to handle it. So we decided to take it out on you." Rona explained.

"I- You're all forgiven." she told them smiling. "It was hard on all of us. I know. Now you guys better get to bed, early start tomorrow."

The girls exchanged their goodnights along with Faith and Robin, leaving Willow, Giles, Xander and Buffy alone, with Angel hanging in the shadows.

"God Buffy. How can we even begin to-?" Xander began to ask, looking away shamefully. "And we blamed you. I am so sorry Buff."

Buffy closed her eyes and took a deep breath. That night had been something all in itself. Because it had not only been the worst night of her life but also the best. She'd been betrayed by her friends and thrown out of her own house by her only sister. She had felt so alone and hopeless, no where to turn, completely empty. Until Spike showed up. She had been ready to give up. He had given her the strength she needed. He had been there for her when no one else was, he showed her his heart and he welcomed her with open arms. It had been the first time she'd ever let anyone in.

Tears began to sting her eyes and she beat them back. "It's not your fault. I wasn't seeing clearly." she insisted, trying to save her friends the guilt.

"But you were right! And we didn't listen. If it wasn't for you we would have lost our war on account of our stupidity." Willow cried.

"I'm afraid she's right." Giles concluded.

"Please say you forgive us Buff." Xander pleaded. Willow and Giles nodded in agreement.

"Of course I forgive you." she replied before grabbing them all into a group hug.

Buffy started to climb the stairs after they broke their hug and her friends had exited the lobby. She was trying to make a quick getaway because she knew Angel had been watching her and she was trying to avoid the conversation she knew was coming. She just couldn't deal with Angel and their _situation _right now. She didn't want to have to explain the whole conversation he'd just heard either.

But Buffy had to admit that without Angel they wouldn't have had anywhere to go. He had been such a big help for the past few days and for that she was grateful.

"You know you've become quite the speaker." Angel told her sincerely. "You're a great leader."

"I try." she replied looking anywhere but his face.

"Look, I-" he stopped in mid sentence, noticing she was uncomfortable. He was afraid to ask the question for fear of the answer so he left the statement unfinished. He would wait. He would let her mourn Spike, then talk to her about them. She deserved that. And she was obviously in no mood to talk about what her and the scoobies just discussed so he'd leave all of that for another day. What she needed was sleep.

"I hope you have a good trip and I'm here if you need me." he told her smiling.

"I know." she replied as she let out a sigh of relief. She pecked him on the cheek and fled up the stairs before he change his mind.

Buffy threw her self on the bed and squeezed her eyes shut to prevent the tears from leaking over. Everyone was safe and comfortable, she couldn't avoid him forever. His face flooded her mind, His blue eyes so full of fire, his arms wrapped around her, his words of comfort. Small sobs began to rock her frame. She twisted over and buried her face in the pillow as her tears soaked the fabric. There was an emptiness that seemed to radiate through her chest. She would never see those eyes again, never feel those arms, never hear those words. None of it. He was gone. And she couldn't stand it. Angel stayed near her window the entire night and listened to her cries of pain. It broke his heart to hear such sounds from any living being, much less Buffy. After a few hours she slowly faded to silence, and he left to freshen up before they parted ways.

With a few hours of sleep in comfortable beds, everyone was up by dawn and prepared to leave. All of the girls, Andrew, Xander, Giles, Willow, and Dawn. They were all bustling around gathering the few of their belongings and saying goodbye to those who were leaving. Which reminded Buffy she still had two people she needed to say her goodbyes to.

"Will?" she called as she noticed her best friend passing by.

"Yeah Buff?" she asked concerned.

"I never got a chance to say thank you. For doing what you did. I know it was hard for you because you thought you might lose control. You were great out there and I'll never forget it."

"Thanks." she smiled shyly. "Thank you for believing in me. Even after-" she trailed off as both their thoughts drifted to that fateful night.

"Long since past. Remember?" she smiled. "Besides I wanted to say goodbye and that I'll see you soon. You better call while you're on your wild adventure with Andrew." she said, pulling her into a tight hug.

Silent tears fell from their eyes.

"I promise, I will." Willow replied before gathering the rest of her stuff.

Her and Andrew were the first to leave but not before Andrew, stopped and whispered something in Buffy's ear.

"He really did love you."

"I know." she replied, tears welling in her eyes.

He simply nodded and left with Willow trailing behind.

Then it was her turn. Buffy, Dawn, Giles, and Xander, along with the slayers, made their way to the Bus.

Angel stood in the shadows and waved to Buffy as she got in.

It was that moment that Buffy realized she was completely over him. Although he'd always have a place in her heart, she had moved on. She would always care for Angel and be there when he needed her but they were done. Thinking back to the night before the battle she laughed. It was ironic how Angel's and Spike's rolls had reversed. She couldn't help but hope wherever Spike was he could hear her. And even though she didn't want to say it she considered Spike a better man then Angel, or as he would call him, Peaches. She knew he'd love to hear that. She laughed quietly to herself and drifted into sleep to make up for the hours she laid awake.


	2. Back in Action

So heres chapter two. Sorry it took forever to update. It's just I have had exams all last week and I've been super busy. But here it is. And I know it has some angel in it, kind of but I wanted to follow Spike through his journey back. So please review and I hope you like it. Thanks for reading. Please please review, it makes me smile ;)

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Buffy characters, they're all Joss's. Unfortunately.**

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Her Champion

Chapter two: Back in action

Angel tore open his anonymous envelope roughly. He was having a stressful day not to mention his appointment with some unknown client sometime in the next hour. The contents of the envelope fell to the floor as he threw the now empty envelope on his desk. It was an Amulet. The same amulet he gave Buffy not even a few weeks ago to defeat the first. It took on an orange glow and erupted with black smoke while flurrying papers all over Angel's office.

"What the hell?"

And suddenly Spike emerged from the dust doubling over in pain. His mind was flooded with memories of his last moments.

_I love you. _She told him quietly a smile grazing her lips as she realized it was completely true.

His hand burning with hers in it.

And then the pain. The body curling and unmistakable pain.

Angel cant help but say it. _What the hell? He's supposed to be dead! What nineteen days later and his back already? What is this?_

And just like that Spike's running after him, and then straight through him.

"Bugger." he said, looking around him as he stands through the desk.

_Can't let him die in peace, can they? Still has a 'purpose',_ they said. Well _Sod off_, Spike thought towards the powers that be. The poofters up there, Always thinking they know what's best.

He was in the middle of talking when suddenly he was facing the opposite direction halfway across the room.

"Spike? Where did you go?" Fred asked in shock at Spike's sudden disappearance.

_I went somewhere? Well bloody hell! _he screamed in his head_. _A befuddled look grazed his features as he tried to remember.

Then not even an hour later Angel and his people started running those bloody tests, from inside of the evil firm. What the hell has the world come to? Wasn't Angel supposed to be the repent-y type. Looks like the ponce turned after all. He thinks he can take it down, Cor' he does but I know better. He'll just get sucked in like all the other poofters here.

So there he carried on for a few months. Helping, waiting, watching Angel slowly but surely drift from his goal. They took a trip to a Italy for the firm, he saw Buffy with her precious immortal. Not that Spike cared, Which means he does. So much for her love. But he couldn't help but feel guilty at that. It wasn't her fault. He had gone and she had to live her life, wasn't that what he had wanted? To live for him?

Then it all seemed to go by so quickly.

He finally was turned back to living flesh after some mysterious package showed up and got a soddin' bloody nose as a result.

Then they lost Fred to that hell god Illyria who isn't as bad as they think, once you get past the whole trying to kill you and letting her demon warriors emerge and destroy the world, but other then that blue's alright.

Then that insane slayer. Cutting his bleedin' arms off, off her bird that slayer was. Remembering the event, he couldn't help but hope Andrew would keep his promise. Not telling Buffy of his return. She was better off without him. Had already moved on and everything. He couldn't even bear to think about it.

But who knows with Andrew. He never was one for keeping secrets. Never was one for anything, if he told the truth. Always about fun and games, until the very end.

Spike wondered why he hadn't gone to see her yet. To tell her he'd come back. Maybe it was because he wanted her last words to him to be the ones she left him with on the hell mouth. He wanted her love to be it. He doubted she'd meant them in the first place. She'd had plenty of chances to tell him, she was just humoring a dying man. But even hearing her say it was enough. The look in her eyes when she told him, he'd almost ripped the necklace off and ran to safety with her.

He'd rather stay away from her anyway if it meant Peaches would too. That Angel, always stealing his women. Well Buffy shouldn't pick tall dark and forehead over him. He wouldn't know what he did if she took Peaches back before him. That bloody ponce was not even close to good enough for her. Always brooding all the time. Over the past, things he can't change.

And here they were on their last day. How he wanted to see her. He could feel every fiber of his beig long for her, long to be close to her. But it was too late for that. Too late to see her one last time without missing the fight.

"Live the day like it's your last... 'cause it probably is." Angel had told them.

But he couldn't do what he truly wanted, so he'd have to settle for this.

Downing shots in this grimy bar and reading his poetry in the single spotlight that shone on center stage.

All his poetry was about the past women in his life including his mum, Cecily, Drusilla and his golden haired and green eyed beauty, Buffy.

_His_ slayer.

So here's another one. He'd live his day, closest to her as he could . Then maybe when it was over, hell, who was he kidding? He had as good a chance as Cap'n Forehead, which wasn't a fat chance at all. Realizing this, a deep sorrow spread through him, he'd never see her sun-kissed hair again, her forest green eyes, the same eyes he could get lost in for hours. He continued to read...

_My soul is wrapped in harsh repose,midnight descends in raven-colored clothes,but soft...behold!A sunlight beamcutting a swath of glimmering heart expands,'tis grown a bulge in it,inspired by your beauty...effulgent._

He gulped down the rest of his Irish beer and smiled at his audience as they delivered a standing ovation.

"Thank you. That was for Cecily. All right. This next one's called 'The Wanton Folly of Me Mum.'"

Buffy stared out at the deep blue sky stretching across the Scottish country side surrounding the castle, not even two days before.

She was clad in her designer boots, jeans and a t-shirt. The basic Buffy attire.

The slayers were spread out across the grounds, some training, others laying about, laughing and relaxing. There hair tousling in the spring breeze and their eyes lit with a strange pleasantness. Something she wasn't used to.

Buffy just sat, sprawled across the window ledge of the library gazing into space, an old journal spread across her lap. Willow was with her looking up things in their library, provided straight from Giles personal collection. It had been her first visit since they'd settled down and Buffy was glad to have her all to herself for the few days she stayed with them. Xander was off training a group of slayers. Buffy had to admit he had become quiet the captain since their last battle. He'd helped Buffy out with the girls and now had them kept in line.

With Willow's attention focused elsewhere Buffy's mind was clouded with his cerulean eyes and his soft lips pressed against hers as she flipped through the pages of eye witness accounts of her past lover. They all held wretched tales of William the bloody and his murderous rampage through Europe. She wondered idly if she should add to the entry. It didn't mention the man he'd become. The soul he'd acquired, for her. It told nothing of his noble act, the work of a true champion. It only listed an average body count of those he killed, but it didn't mention the body count of those he saved. It didn't mention his innuendos or the way he favored his blood textured with weeta-bix or the way his eyes glimmered in the moonlight not even the way he took it upon himself to have her back when no one else did.

She tried desperately to push his face out of her thoughts, but his image won't fade. Her mind kept torturing her with his memory. Her champion. Long past gone and yet he still lingers.

Every day seems to get easier then the last but harder that the same time. She has things that distract her from him, but hes still always there in the back of her mind. Whether she's training the girls or going out for the night. He's always there. And its hard. But she tries to manage the best she can. For her friends, for her sister, for the world, for him. Its been months since he sacrificed himself for her, for all of them.

And she still can't seem to move on completely. She'd tried the going out thing, the dating. But it was never enough. She missed the feel of his strong arms wrapped around her waist and the way his deep blue eyes pierced hers. The way he was always there when she needed him. The way he could be annoying yet breathtaking at the same time.

Although she's been given a new life, she knew he's the only one she wants to share it with. He was one of the only reasons she was still alive. He'd saved her a million times over and she had treated him horribly. Like her own personal rag doll. Like something not worthy of her love. But the truth was she didn't deserve him. He was more then she could ask for. She never even got a chance to explain what he meant to her. Never had a chance to apologize for the terrible things she did. If it hadn't been for spike she wouldn't be the person she was today. She would still be that empty shell that had been ripped from heaven by the only people she could trust in the entire world.

A lump started to rise in her throat that she just couldn't seem to get rid of. Her eyes were blurred by the tears forming and she laid her head down against the table, shoving the useless book away. It wasn't accurate at all, held nothing that interested her. No hint of what he was like before he was sired. Not a scrap of poetry from his human days. Bitter disappointment welled up in her as she started to doze off, her dreams picked up from a familiar place. A place she visited almost every night.

_It was him, he was there, the sunlight retracting from the amulet, the school and the hell mouth crumbling around them._

_She entwined her fingers in his and their hands caught fire._

"_I love you." she said smiling. She loved him and she was proud as she watched him be the champion she knew he was._

"_No you don't but thanks for saying it." he replied smiling, his voice rough with emotion. _"_Now go!"_

_She shook her head and ripped the amulet from his neck while the hell mouth continued to crumble._

_He pulled his duster over his head and she pulled him along as they jumped from building to building and leaped onto the bus as it barely skidded past the sinking ground. She squeezed his hand as they jammed themselves in through the emergency exit and fell to the floor with a thud._

_He looked up at her and a brushed a strand of hair from her face. _

"_Guess we made it out after all, love."_

_She smiled before brushing his lips with hers in a deep and passionate kiss._

Almost everynight she had the same dream. Almost. It varied in detail but it always ended the same. Spike lived and she had done something smarter, craftier, anything to help. She saved him everynight.

But suddenly her quiet fantasy was shattered by a nightmare so real it had to be a vision. She gasped before shooting upright as an unfamiliar scene rushed infront of her eyes.

It was a dark alley way, by the looks of it, it was L.A. Angel, a blue woman(who lokked an awful lot like fred), Gunn, and… Spike were all drenched in blood staring across the alley way at a legion of demons and creatures of the night charging for them.

The battle Angel so hoped wouldn't come was here. They were clearly out numbered and their chances for survival were slim to none. But she hadn't received a call and how far away was this vision? And Spike? Spike was what confused her most of all. How was he alive?

She shook herself out of her stupor and reached out to her best friends through their minds. If this was real, and Spike was still alive she had to do anything to keep him that way. She had to be quick.

"Will?"

_"Yeah. What is it, buff?"_

"I need you to get as many girls rounded up as you can within a few hours. I just had a vision, no time to explain, all I know is Angel needs our help.".

_"You got it." _Willow replied before dashing immediately into action. She noticed the fire burning in her best friends eyes, again. Something long since absent from her eyes. Whatever this was it was big. So there was no time to waste. Willow gathered her stuff and made her way to the grounds to collect the girls.

"Xander?" Willow called through her mind.

"_Jeez Will. Again with the mind thing. What's up?"_

"I need you to meet me in the arsenal, bring whatever girls your training along with you."

"_Alright. I'll be right there." _he replied before making his way towards the arsenal.

Without hesitation, Buffy was in motion. Making preparations for their departure. She was going to find out what the hell was going on. Someone ordered an apocalypse and didn't tell the chosen one about it? She may not be the only chosen one, but she was the original right? She told Angel the last time they had one. Oh she was going to kick his ass when she saw him.

Since when did he leave her out of the end of the world? Probably 'for her own good'. Oh she'd show him. And Spike…what was he doing in L.A. alive, with Angel? You bet she was going to find out.

With that and a fierce determination to seek out the truth and her long lost lover, she, Xander, Willow and their army of slayers set out into the night, there eyes set on the battle coming.

Back in L.A. the creatures were starting to close in and Illyria landed swiftly on her feet.

"Any word on Wes?" Gunn asked her as she observed his wounds.

"Wesleys dead." she replied coldly.

Angel turned away for a moment and Gunn let out a soft cry, while Spike hung his head. All their targets had been taken out, but they had lost one of their own, grief rose in each of them as they processed the news.

"I'm feeling grief for him. I can't seem to control it. I wish to do more violence." she said to them anger evident in her crystal blue eyes.

"Well wishes just happen to be horses today." Spike told her, lifting his head.

"Among other things." Angel agreed.

"Okay. You take the 30,000 to the left..." Gunn said as he clutched at his wound and pushed himself to his feet.

"You're fading. You'll last ten minutes at best." she said warningly.

"Let's make 'em memorable." Gunn replied as he and the others got ready to face the onslaught.

"In terms of a plan?" Spike asked warily.

"We fight." Angel concluded as rain continued to pour from the sky, splattering against their shoulders.

"Bit more specific." Spike insisted.

"Well, personally, I kind of want to slay the dragon." he told them as he stepped forward. "Let's get to work."

Angel lifted his sword and they all started to run towards the demon hoard before they were thrown back by some sort of barrier. Spike, Angel, Gunn, and Illyria looked around for the source of the energy field to find something they never expected.

"Long time no see. You know you think you would have called."


	3. Finally

So finally. Here it is. Last chapter, I worked extra hard to make this one really good. So please review because it really makes a world of a difference. I want to thank Caellach Tiger Eye for the sum up of Angel: After the fall and for letting me know Cordy the dragon was actually a good guy. (: Thanks for reading. I really hope you like it.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy, Joss does. Although I'd like to have Spike all to myself.**

* * *

Her Champion

Chapter three: Finally

"Buffy?" Spike and Angel called out in unison, shocked at her sudden arrival.

"Yep. It's me. With a powerful witch and an army of slayers, ready for a fight." she replied, smiling at their facial expressions.

Willow delivered a dainty wave and a huge grin as he stared at the few fighters below.

"Hey!" Xander called out from the crowd, in mock offense at not being mentioned. "What is the guy with eye patch chop liver?" he asked with a smile. "You lose an eye and suddenly you don't matter." he grumbled.

"Oh I'm sorry and Xander." She said chuckling.

Spike just stood stock-still, too stunned to speak. _Was she really here? _There not even 10 feet away from where he stood. He almost broke into a run and scooped here up into his arms, but stopped before he could actually do it. _Bloody hell, hasn't been here two minutes and your already weak in the knees. Way to be love's bitch. _he reprimanded himself silently.

"You know you two really should pick your jaws up from the floor, your kind of drooling." Buffy said between laughs as she hopped off the building's rooftop and landed lithely on her feet, her friends and Allies following her lead.

Buffy surveyed the remnants of Angel's brigade, with the exception of one, who was still too surprised to speak. He watched her gaze shift from person to person, until she realized what was missing.

"Where's Wesley?" she asked curiously, suddenly aware of her ex-watcher's absence.

"Wesley is dead." Illyria said simply, feeling no need to go into detail.

Buffy closed her eyes and shook her head. Wesley was dead. Really dead. Hadn't she just seen him a few months ago. He had looked so happy. Grief for her old friend ran it's course before she remembered where they were and what was going on, so she pushed the emotion aside, to be dealt with later.

"Fred?" Willow called out in disbelief, as she eyed the woman clad in blue.

"I am not Fred." Illyria said suddenly, her tone portraying no emotion. "Fred is gone. I am Illyria."

Willow and the others stared in bewilderment. _Who was this woman?_ Everyone fell quiet as they observed the woman called Illyria.

"How did you know?" he asked Buffy casually as the others continued to stare.

"Vision. I'm actually very upset with you. What now just because I'm not the only slayer I don't get a call when the world might end?" She quirked an eye brow at him, conveying her annoyance. She shook her head before suddenly turning to Spike in wonder. She stared into his eyes and they met halfway.

"Is it really you?" she asked softly brushing her hand to his cheek, her eyes filled with a fire that had been missing for too long.

"Yes. It's me, love." he replied, stroking her cheek. "But Listen before you go an-" His sentence was cut short by her fist cracking the side of his jaw. Anger was spreading across her features like wildfire. Her eyes burned with a fury Angel had never seen. Spike staggered back a few feet and clutched his jaw as he braced himself for the next blow.

"What the hell? What you come back from the dead and you decide, what that I shouldn't be notified? Do I not matter anymore?" she asked furiously, while tears began to brew.

"Of Cor' you matter, pet. It's just I didn't know how-"

"How to what? Pick up the phone? It's not that hard, you just use your fingers and dial the numbers!" she replied her irritation growing. _How could he have left me in the dark about this? Am I that unimportant?_

"At one point it was pretty difficult to do. You know with that carrot-top slayer thinking I killed her soddin' family and all." he said absently, remembering his brief detachment from his limbs.

"Wait you were the one she did that too? That means- Andrew saw you! And he didn't tell me? Oh when I get back I'm going to-"

"That's my fault, love. I told him not to." he tried to explain.

Buffy's face went from furious to confused as something just began to dawn on her. He didn't love her anymore. Spike stared at her trying desperately to decipher her thoughts but in the instant any emotion was uncovered she quickly hid it away.

After taking a quick glance at Buffy then to the demon hoard and back, Angel decided to chime in. There would be time to explain later.

"As much as I like to see you two argue, we kind of have a battle to fight here." Angel told the them, impatently. He still couldn't except the fact this his grand childe had worked his way into Buffy's heart.

"You're right." Buffy replied slipping into slayer mode. "Take your positions." She picked up her battle ax as everyone took their stance.

"Don't think you're getting off that easy either, mister." she told Angel as Spike took his place at her side.

"And I'm not done with you." she turned to him and whispered just as Willow lifted the barrier.

"Wouldn't have it any other way, love." he replied before leaping into battle, with her at his side.

Willow sent deflection spells along with any thing would help the fight the oncoming onslaught. Energy balls were flying in every direction while the army of slayers took on Wolfram and Hart's fiercest beasts.

Angel had begun to slay the dragon but had quickly come to realize the dragon's actual intentions. It quickly switched sides in the battle and fought along side Xander and Angel on the front line.

Not too far off to the right Spike and Buffy fought back to back, using each other's maneuvers to benefit their battle. It was like every move they made was synchronized, like they were dancing to a song no one else could hear. They had quickly gotten back into the swing of things and were taking their fair share of creatures out in large numbers.

But not even fifteen minutes in, a boy appeared from the mouth of the alley and jumped into the fray.

"Conner?" Angel yelled over the roaring of the dragon beside him.

Conner took out any demons in his path and he eventually made his way to the front line where his father valiantly fought.

"Dad. I couldn't let you do this alone, now could I?" he replied smiling, before staking a vampire who had snuck up behind him.

Angel just shook his head and continued to fight.

Almost a half hour later the alley way was filled with demon corpses and vampire dust alike.

The cries of battle had finally ceased and L.A. seemed to be peacefully still, if just for a moment.

Angel sighed quietly before turning to the remains of their ranks.

Buffy and Spike were leaning up against the brick building to their left panting and smiling at each other.

He looked away not even wanting to go down that road.

"Well wasn't that just bundles of fun?" Xander asked sarcastically.

"Oh yeah, a real riot." Spike replied smiling.

"Hey Dad? I'm going to head off with the rest of them and find a hospital. Okay?"

"Real quick. Conner this is Buffy. Buffy this is Conner, my son." he told her as he measured her reaction.

Buffy smiled at him and stuck a hand out, which he took.

"Ah, so you're Buffy." Conner said eyeing her up and down. "You were right, Dad. We'll I'm gonna get going. It was nice meeting you, Buffy." he smiled before leaving with remaining slayers.

Buffy stood mouth agape at the teenage boy who had been so pleasant and sweet. What did he mean by _'dad you were right'_? She'd known Angel had a son but it was a completely different thing to see him up close and in person.

She smiled to herself, it looks she wasn't the only one who inherited a teenager to take care of and enjoyed it. And Buffy saw the light in his eyes as he watched his son walk away, because it was the same light she'd had in her eyes with Dawn. Conner had brought something to Angel she'd never seen before. A happiness that she thought was impossible to achieve. Happiness he deserved.

Turning to the others, Angel was happy to find Gunn was still alive. His heart beat very faint with Illyria crouched over him a confused look touching her features. Probably wondering how he was still alive. Hell, he was a fighter all right.

Gunn chuckled at her expression and a raspy cough escaped his lips.

She scooped him up from the ground and followed Conner and the others from the depths of the alley way, in search of somewhere to tend to their wounded.

"Always nice seeing you Angel. Spike." Xander said before subtly leaving to follow the others.

_See you in a little bit? _Willow asked Buffy silently.

Buffy nodded curtly as her best friend followed the other's lead and disappeared from the alley's entrance. She turned to the two soul-inhabited vampires she was left with and sighed.

She measured their expressions and she couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. They both looked wary, tensing for the wrath they were sure would come, soon after she caught her breath. They'd faced who knows how many demons and it was her they were worried about. _Now that was something to laugh about_, she told herself quietly.

Spike and Angel exchanged looks of confusion before she sobered up and took a few measured steps until she was face to face with Angel.

"You didn't tell me." she stated simply. "Even after what I told you."

"I-" Before he could even begin to explain himself, Buffy's fist came in contact with his jaw knocking him off his feet.

He sprung to his feet and furrowed his eye brows, rubbing his jaw and grumbling to himself.

"It's only fair." she said shrugging before she turned to walk away from the two men in the alleyway.

Spike burst into laughter watching his grandsire's uncomfortable expression before he noticed her starting to leave. She barely had made it five feet when she whipped around to find Angel and Spike still rooted to the spot.

"Are you two coming or what?" she asked playfully before loping into the darkness.

Spike grinned at Angel before taking off after her in the darkness, Angel following suit.

Hell would freeze over before Spike let her go again.

Arrangements were made and it looked like Buffy would be harboring Angel and a few of his survivors until they had everything figured out. She had plenty of room, so there was no objection.

Illyria, Lorne, and Gunn stayed behind to look after L.A. while Conner, Angel, and Spike traveled to Scotland with the scoobies. Angel had arranged to stay no more then a week but no other plans were set in stone.

When Buffy had got back she had made it her mission to find Andrew. She discovered him playing board games with a few of the girls and after seeing him she just didn't have the heart to give him grief about it, the past few days had been emotionally exhausting, what she really needed was a break.

She quietly left the confines of the castle in her pajamas for the third night in a row. She couldn't seem to sleep since she returned from L.A. She sat out on the castle wall while all the others slept. With all these questions on her mind, she couldn't even hope to get a minute of sleep.

The midnight breeze blew her hair around her face and she buried her head in her hands trying to clear the thoughts from her head.

She was more confused then she ever had been. Yes, Spike was back. But why hadn't he called or given her some sort of sign he was alive? Did he not love her any more? Had his feelings been buried along with the hell mouth?

Did he not tell her because he wanted to save her the pain of realizing he no longer cared about her? Was he just trying to 'let her down' easy but not actually letting her down at all? She couldn't be sure.

He'd been there for three days already and they'd barely talked much, less touched. Everything seemed to be up in the air between them.

She remembered the conversation she'd had with Angel when they first got back to headquarters.

_She had been in her room, pacing back and forth, trying to figure out what she should do next. The same thoughts she had tonight were fluttering through her brain._

_There was a soft knock at her door._

"_Come in." she said absently before willing herself to stay still._

_Angel took one look at her and could see the distress she was in. Not sure of the cause behind, he decided to say what he needed._

"_You okay?" he asked searching for her source of grief. _

"_Yeah, I'm okay." she replied smiling before sitting on the edge of her bed._

"_Do you still love Spike?" he'd asked bluntly, afraid of the answer he was hoping he wouldn't get._

"_Yes." she replied, an unquestionable seriousness to her tone. "I do."_

_She looked away and refused to meet his eyes._

_He nodded in understanding and sighed with frustration._ _He'd never understand how she could love him. He kissed her cheek and said goodnight still unsure of where they stood._

She kneaded her temples desperately trying to dislodge the thoughts of a man who'd forgotten her in his blaze of glory. Tears began to cascade down her face before she was suddenly aware of someone else present and she lifted her head to find the vampire in question.

"Hello love." he said softly before settling himself beside her.

"Hey." she replied before swiping at the tears carving their way down her sun-kissed cheeks.

His heart ached, seeing her in pain and he wanted so badly to wrap his arms around her and never let go. He wanted to tell her everything was okay and that he wasn't expecting her to run into his arms, nomatter how much he wished she would.

"I wanted to say I'm sorry." she said as she peered out into the darkness, avoiding his probing gaze. _Why on earth would she be sorry?_ He asked himself. _If anyone had something to say sorry about, it was me not her_.

"What for, pet?" he asked, his curiosity raging.

"For everything I ever did to you." she paused before meeting his eyes. He shook his head in disbelief as he took in what she had to say. "That's just one of the things I never got to tell you." she said shrugging. "But why? Why didn't you tell me you were back? And tell me the truth."

"I just-" he closed his eyes and took a deep breath before continuing. "I didn't know how to tell you. I go out saving the world and then I turn up nineteen days later in Angel's office walking through walls and what not. I stayed that way for awhile until I got some package. I opened it and suddenly I was corporal again. It was all so bloody confusing. I just...wanted you to see me as a champion. A hero."

Spike shifted his gaze to the Scottish countryside avoiding her eyes.

"Hey, look at me." she touched his arm and their eyes met. "You will always be my champion." She paused and removed her arm grudgingly. "And I know things are probably different for you now, I just wanted to let you know-"

"Different? Nothings changed, Buffy." he told her gently. "I still love you, and I always will even if you've moved on-"

"Moved on?" she asked suddenly.

"Yeah, I know you and the immortal have a thing, so I'm not asking for anything."

Buffy stared at him, before she let out a giggle. "You're a dope!"

"And what makes you say that?" he asked relieved a smile had found its way to her face and bewildered at her sudden exclamation.

"I was never with the immortal."

"But we saw you." he insisted, wondering what she meant. "Me and Peaches, went to Rome and saw you with him."

"Decoy. I'm a wanted woman, you know. There's a lot people out there looking to kill me. So I needed some kind of cover." she said matter-of-factly. "It was Andrews Idea."

Spike smiled and he was flooded with relief. So Buffy hadn't been with the Immortal.

"You two boneheads should have known better." she said teasingly, before replaying what he'd said over again in her head. "You-You still love me?" she asked suddenly.

"More then you'll ever know." he replied, taking her hand in his.

"I meant what I said." she repeated as she looked into his eyes. "Down in the hellmouth. I love you."

And in that instance Spike's undead heart soared. He couldn't believe he was hearing this. She loved him. Suddenly an ear piercing scream echoed through the night. Both of them jumped up and ran towards the castle to find the source. Everyone awoke and crowded the main hall as Spike and Buffy got inside they found Angel picking himself up from the ground.

"What happened?" Buffy said eyes frantically roaming the room searching for evidence of a fight.

Everyone around exchange confused gazes and worried glances.

Spike began to search too until he heard a heart beat, a heart beat close to him but a heart beat other then the woman beside him.

"The shanshu prophecy." Spike realized as he gazed at his overjoyed grandsire.

"The what-who prophecy?" Buffy inquired, turning to Spike and then back to Angel, observing him for the first time since she walked in the room. There wasn't any difference in physical appearance but there was something she heard that surprised her. His heart, it was beating.

"The shanshu prophecy." Spike explained, a look of sorrow spreading across his face. "The vampire who saves the world from the greatest evil is awarded his humanity with the advantages of a vampire."

Angel nodded and took Buffy's hands in his. He met her eyes with his and he asked the silent question, a glimmer of hope shining in his chocolate brown eyes. He looked between her and Spike and saw the light in her eyes. They must have talked.

"You're cookies, aren't you?" Angel accused.

_Cookies? What on earth are they talking about? _Spike asked himself. She looked from Spike to Angel and back before she positioned herself in front of Angel. She had to make a choice. This was is it.

"Look Angel." she had said, moving closer to him and putting her soft fingers to his cheek.

Spike clenched his jaw and growled prepearing himself for the sappy kiss that was sure to follow this romantic love scene. He knew she'd pick him. And in that moment, Spiek had never hated anyone more then he hated his grandsire in that very moment.

_God damn it. That ponce. Bloody hell! Damn Angel to darkest pit in hell! He'd never had a bleedin' chance, had he? It had been Peaches all along. He was just _convienant_. She would always choose him. _He told himself as he seethed with rage. He gritted his teeth and waited for the kiss, but it never came_._

"You will always be in my heart and I'll always love you. You were my first love, and I'll never forget that. But I think…I think I might be cookies." she told him, removing her hand from his cheek and looking at Spike. "But I'm Spike's cookies...If he wants them."

Angel sighed before tucking a lock of hair from Buffy's face and placing a tender kiss on her forehead. He nodded at Spike before turning to find his son, and share the good news. Buffy turned to Spike, still glowing at the revelation of Spike's love for her. By then everyone had filtered out of the hall and trudged back to bed with not so much as a second glance.

"You chose me? Even after Tall, dark, and brooding turned human?" he asked, slightly awe struck. She had picked him. He was unbelievably ecstatic. She had chose him.

"Does this answer your question?" she replied before crashing her lips into his.

He snaked his arms around her delicate waist and ran his fingers through her golden hair. Her scent assaulted him as he pressed her against him and imprinted the feel of her on his skin. She slid her hands underneath his duster and was brushing her fingertips in patterns along his muscles. He shuddered as she traced her tongue across his was intoxicated and it didn't take long for them to get lost in each other.

They pulled away a short time later both gasping for air.

"So I was wondering. What did you tell Angel while I was gone?" he asked curiously, tilting his head to the side, searching for answers.

"Nothing you don't already know." she smiled before capturing his lips with hers once again.

"I love you." she whispered in his ear as he moved his lips up and down her neck, leaving gentle kisses along her jaw line.

"And I love you." he replied smiling, his hand cupping her chin. "You can't get rid of me now."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." she replied, wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning in for another kiss.


End file.
